Nadia Lapusta

Nadia Lapusta is the Lawrence A. Hanson, Jr., Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Geophysics at the California Institute of Technology, where she is also the Graduate Option Representative for Applied Mechanics, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. Her research focuses on geophysics and mechanical engineering, with an emphasis on understanding the mechanics of earthquakes and fault systems. Lapusta's work contributes to the broader field of earth sciences and engineering through her academic and research leadership at Caltech.

Nadia Lapusta is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Geophysics at Caltech, specializing in earthquake physics and fault mechanics. Her research focuses on understanding the dynamics of earthquake rupture processes, including the role of rate-and-state friction, dynamic weakening, and the interaction between seismic and aseismic slip. She investigates how fault heterogeneity, temperature, and pore pressure influence earthquake behavior and stability. Lapusta's work also explores the numerical modeling of spontaneous rupture and the seismic cycle, with applications to geodetic observations and earthquake prediction. Her studies contribute to the broader understanding of earthquake physics and the development of predictive models for seismic hazards.